1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a refuse-collecting vehicle which is capable of holding an increased quantity of refuse in a given volume. Specifically, the invention relates to the inclusion of a counterpressure plate which acts in combination with the loading system to insure complete compacting of the refuse.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present state of the art in refuse collecting vehicles is taught in German Patent No. 34 01 069. In this prior art refuse collecting vehicle, the refuse loaded in a refuse hopper is pushed by a refuse-compacting plate from a compacting space, which is disposed beneath the refuse hopper and into the actual refuse collecting bin of the refuse collecting vehicle. At the start, i.e., when the refuse bin is still empty, no compacting of the refuse takes place because a pressure element component counteracting the pushing pressure is missing when the refuse bin is empty. Only after enough additional refuse has been pushed into the refuse bin to cause the refuse to pile up on the rear wall of the refuse bin, i.e., after the latter has been filled across its entire length, a certain amount of counterpressure is generated and acts upon the refuse as the latter is pushed into the bin.
Due to the great length across which the refuse accumulates, such length corresponding with the length of the refuse bin, the counterpressure results in a totally insufficient and uneven compacting of the refuse. This insufficient compaction occurs mainly within the rear zone of the refuse bin. Consequently, only an unduly limited quantity of refuse can be accommodated in the refuse bin, which means the known refuse collecting vehicle is not operating at its full capacity.
Another refuse collecting vehicle is disclosed in German published patent disclosure No. DE-OS 32 44 216. With this vehicle, a shield for pushing out the refuse is arranged in the refuse-collecting bin. This shield is adjustable or displaceable from the area of the refuse inlet opening in the direction of the refuse outlet opening of the refuse collecting bin, with a refuse-charging hopper being arranged ahead of the shield. On the bottom side, the rear wall of the refuse-charging hopper and the shield for pushing out the refuse are connected by a common passage, in which a compacting plunger is operating. The charged refuse drops via the charging hopper in front of the compacting plunger and is pushed by the latter into the refuse collecting bin through the passage of the shield.
As with the other prior art vehicles, in this refuse collecting vehicle the refuse is not actually compacted until the refuse-collecting bin has been filled across its length and the refuse piles up against the rear wall of the bin. Furthermore, the buildup of back pressure and thus counterpressure for compacting is made difficult because the back wall has a semi-spherical shape so that the refuse is forced upwardly yielding as it is pushed against the rear wall. Thus, this refuse collecting vehicle is not operating at full capacity because effective compacting is absent.
Finally, another refuse collecting vehicle is taught in Germany published patent disclosure No. DE-OS 34 20 058. This vehicle is equipped with an exchangeable receptacle for receiving the refuse. The space receiving the refuse, which has an inlet or filling opening, a conveying chamber and a pressing plunger, is rigidly arranged between the driver's cabin and the exchangeable refuse receptacle. The refuse, which is collected from a refuse bin with the help of a lifting and tilting device, is loaded in the conveying chamber ahead of the pressing plunger, and is forced or pressed by the latter into the exchangeable receptacle.
With this refuse-collecting vehicle, the refuse is also loaded in the exchangeable receptacle without actually being compacted. The compacting action starts only after the refuse completely fills the exchangeable receptacle across its entire length. Both the compaction of the refuse and the filling of the exchangeable receptacle is also considered to be unsatisfactory with this design as well.